Matthew 6:33 -Seek first the kingdom of God
It is worth asking ourselves the question: what is the kingdom that we are to be seeking? After all, how can we seek it if we don’t even know what it is? And so we will spend some time examining what the scriptures tell us about the Kingdom of God. Let us consider some New Testament passages which give us a brief timeline, and see if we can nail down the appearing of the kingdom.
The Kingdom, the Church, and Believers
Mark 1:15 -The kingdom is “at hand;” indicating it’s coming soon
Mark 9:1 -The kingdom will come in the lifetime of some hearers
Acts 1:6-8 -Disciples ask when if He will now restore the kingdom. He tells them it will happen with the Holy Spirit
Acts 2:1-21 -The Holy Spirit comes on the apostles
Acts 8:12, Acts 19:8 -The kingdom and the gospel
Matthew 16:16-19 -”kingdom” and “church” are used interchangeably
We have an indication here that the Kingdom and church are one and the same! Indeed, they cannot be separated. And as we can continue on, we can see that the kingdom is indeed here now!
Ephesians 5:3-5 -We must not be this way to be part of the kingdom
Colossians 1:13 -Paul writes that Paul and the church in Colossi had already been brought into the kingdom!
I Thessalonians 2:10-12 -The church in Thessalonica were called into the kingdom
Hebrews 12:28 -The church is receiving the kingdom already!
Revelation 1:4-6 -The churches have been made into a kingdom
Revelation 1:9 -John writes than he and those he writes to are members of the kingdom
Does this mean that once we die, if we die in Christ, we are no longer part of the kingdom? Of course not! Such an assumption is absurd. The kingdom is an inclusive term. It includes the church established by Christ, and those who have “fallen asleep” in Christ.
I Corinthians 15:17-24 -Those who have fallen asleep still have their reward and citizenship in the kingdom
Hebrews 11:13-16 -The heavenly citizenship of the faithful in the OT
As God and Christ are eternal, so is the kingdom. Those who followed Him have that assurance. The Kingdom is the body of the saved.
The Nature of the Kingdom
John 8:36 -Christ’s kingdom is not of this world, but is spiritual
If we make the assumption that Christ’s kingdom is a physical kingdom, we make the same mistake that the early opponents of Christ made!
Luke 17:20-21 -The Pharisees were expecting an earthly kingdom, yet it was already in their midst!
We, as Christians, should not expect an earthly nation or kingdom. We are plainly told that such is not going to happen. Instead, we are part of the spiritual kingdom. If we expect an earthly nation, then we set ourselves opposed to Christ’s kingdom as much as the Pharisees did.
Won’t the Kingdom Come in the Last Days?
Of course! The last days have already begun, actually. And not in 1947, either. The last days began on Pentecost, with the establishment of the church.
Acts 2:16-17 -”The last days” are fulfilled
Hebrews 1:1-2 -”These last days” defined by being spoken to by the Son
Isaiah 2:1-5 -In the last days shall be the mountain of the Lord’s Temple
Daniel 2:31-45 -In the time of the 4th kingdom (Rome), the Kingdom of God will be established, enduring forever.
Won’t you become a citizen of this kingdom? Won’t you join yourself to those who follow Him, the church? Won’t you recognize the King?
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